


I'll Have You Know I'm Scared to Death

by matelotage



Series: What to Expect When ( You've Failed Your Sidekicks ) [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: An au-ish thing where it's in the YJ universe if that makes sense?, Gen, I don't know what I'm doing, basically tim needs medical help and hugs, post-Return of the Joker, thats it thats the fic, the team will make appearances but mostly batfam centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 14:15:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8375371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matelotage/pseuds/matelotage
Summary: There’s two key points in Timothy Drake’s life. Before the Joker, and after the Joker.





	

He doesn’t feel safe until Batgirl’s settling him down inside the batmobile with all the gentleness she can muster, climbing in after him and letting the youngest Robin rest his head on her lap. If she notices the green dye from his hair starting to stain her gloves, she doesn’t comment on it. Batman’s there a few seconds later, jumping into the vehicle without a word.   
  
“Nightwing’s going to meet us at the cave.” The redhead adds quietly, sending a worried glance down at Tim again.  
  
“You told him?” It’s a gruff response, and it wouldn’t take a genius detective to decipher Bruce is a little miffed.   
  
“Of course I told him, he deserves to know.” And, Barbara sounds pretty miffed too.  
  
Tim clamps a hand over his mouth then, muffling his cries as another bout of laughter hits him for no apparent reason. Batgirl tries her best to quiet him, holding the smaller boy close and whispering reassurances. When that doesn’t work, their last resort is a sedative. She mumbles a soft apology to him, looking like she might cry.   
  
Batman only drives faster.   
  
He only wishes he could’ve stayed conscious long enough to thank her.  
  
  
  
  
There’s a rustling sound from the curtains, and the window gives a short creak as it’s opened. Tim’s heart nearly leaps out of his chest, but he’s prepared to fight someone off. He can still do that much, at least.   
  
“Oh, baby bird. You look like shit.”   
  
He recognizes that voice, letting his shoulders sag as his predecessor finishes climbing through the window; boots hitting the floor with a dull thud. They both stand there for a long time, no one willing to be the first to speak about what had transpired during the week. Only when Tim’s still weak body protests standing for an extended period of time does Jason speak, following the teen as he retreats back to lean on the bed.   
  
“This wasn’t your fault. Anyone that says otherwise is a fucking dumbass.”   
  
Crying against Jason’s chest is awfully embarrassing, but surely the Red Hood has seen worse things. Besides, he could use a dose of bluntness courtesy of Jason Todd since everyone else has been walking on eggshells around him. The arm awkwardly patting his back isn’t an unwelcome gesture, either. When he wakes up the next morning, Jason is gone, but there’s a bright red teddy bear tucked carefully under his arm.   
  
_( Tim can’t be sure, but he’s almost certain it’s the same bear he’d seen in the former Robin’s old room when he’d gotten curious about the locked doors in the manor months ago. )_  
  
  
  
  
He’s seated outside with Alfred, relaxing under the shade of the porch overhang. There’s a blanket covering his legs to help ward off the mid-September chill, but it’s nice and quiet out here. The butler reads the feel-good stories aloud from the newspaper, catching the young man’s attention once he starts in about the new science center to be built downtown in the next few months. Tim nimbles on one of the cookies set out on the table, the wind rustling through his hair.   
  
“Oh, good heavens.”  
  
He glances up, just in time to see the butler wrestle with the newspaper as the wind tries to carry it off. The parchment leaps up, swatting the english man in the face before it sails down off through the yard.   
  
Tim laughs.   
  
Alfred chuckles at the absurdity of it all.  
  
Tim continues to laugh.   
  
Alfred looks concerned.   
  
Tim realizes he _can’t_ stop laughing.  
  
The boy practically falls off his chair, grabbing at his throat like he’s being choked by some unseen force. The butler rushes to his side, the teenager’s laughter echoing throughout the yard.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“That’s it, Tim. Deep breath.”   
  
The woman moves her stethoscope over his back, attention completely on her patient. The family loves Doctor Leslie, but they’ve been seeing more of her the past couple days than they’d like to. He does as instructed, trying not to flinch when Bruce lays a heavy hand on his shoulder. The smell of antiseptic that wafts through med-bay makes his nostrils burn. He wants to run.   
  
“It’s going to be alright, son.”   
  
He’d like to believe that.  
  
But.  
  
It won’t be.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> tbh I rewatched Young Justice and Return of the Joker and I have all these feelings and don't know what to do with them. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
